“The forest-based sector will make the bioeconomy into a profitable business alongside existing operations. We are creating bioeconomic value chains across sectoral boundaries that enable a higher degree of value-added than before. It is a gateway to new markets and fresh growth,” says Timo Jaatinen, Director General of the Finnish Forest Industries Federation.

A national bioeconomy strategy was approved this year and the bioeconomy has been highlighted as one of the spearheads for growth in the Finnish economy. “The bioeconomy will create new firms and business activities as well as new types of value chains. For the general public, it offers the opportunity to choose a more sustainable way of living and consuming. For society, bioeconomy translates into prosperity, jobs as well as export and tax revenue. The transition to a bioeconomy will not be automatic, however. A competitive operating environment and close cooperation, both within the industry and across sectoral boundaries, will be required for it to come about,” says Jaatinen.